The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-17

happiness tnat requires no augmentation
from any of our rougher sex. That young
man or young woman can by the right
literary and moral improvement Of
the spare ten minutes here or there
in every day, rise head and shoulders in
prosperity, and character, and influence
above the loungerS who read nothing or
read that which bedwarfs See all the for
eStS of good American literature dripping
with honey. Why pick up the honeycombs
that have in them the fiery bees which will
sting you with an eternal poison while you
taste it. One book may for you or me de-
eide everything for this world or the next.
1t was turning point with me when in
Wynkoops bookstore, Syracuse, one day
picked up book called "The Beauties of
RuSkin" 1t was only a book of extracts,
but it was all pure honey, and | was not
satisfied until | had purchased all his works,
at that time expensive beyond an easy
capacity to own them, and what
heaven | went through in read
ing his 'Seven Lamps of Architecture"
and his "Stones of Venice, it is impossible
for me to describe except by saying that it
gave me rapture for good books, and an
everlasting disgust for decrepit or immoral
books that will last me while my immortal
soul lasts. All around the church and the
world to-day there are busy hives of intelli-
gence occupied by authors and authoresses,
from whose pens drip distillation which is
the very nectar of heaven; and why will
you thrust your rod of inquisitiveness into
the deathful saccharine of perdition.
Stimulating liquids also come into the
category of temptations delicious but death
full. You say: 81 cannot bear the taste of
Intoxicating liquor, and how any man can
like it is to me an amazement.n Well then,
it is no credit to you that you do not take
it. Do not brag about your total absti-
nence, because it is not from any principle
that you reject alcoholism, but for the same
reason that you reject certain styles of food
you simply don't like the taste of them.
But multitudes of people have a natural
fondness for all kinds of intoxicant They
like it so much that l. makes them smack
their lips to look at it, They are dyspeptic,
and they take it to aid digestion, or they
are annoyed by insomnia, and they take it
to produce sleep, or they are troubled,
and they take it to make them oblivi-
Gus, or they feel good, and they
must celebrate their hilarity They begin
with mint iulep sucked through two straws
on the Long Branch piazza and end in the
ditch, taking from jug liquid half kero-
sene and half whisky. They not only like
it, but it is an all-consuming passion of
body mind and soul, and after n while
have it they will, though one wine glass of
it should cost the temporal and eternal de-
struction of themselves, and all their fami-
lies. and the whole human race. They
would say: 81 am sorry it is going to cost
me, and my family, and all the worlds
population so very much, but there it goes
to my lips, and now let it roll over my
parched tongue and down my heated
throat, the sweetest the most in
spiring, the most rapturous thing that
ever thrilled mortal or immortal -
To cure the habit before it comes to
its last stages various plans were tried in
olden times. This plan was recommended
in the books: When man wanted to reform
he put shot or bullet into the cup or glass of
strong drink-one additional shot or bullet
each day, that displaced SO much liquor.
Bullet after bullet, added day by day, of
course the liquor became less and less until
the bullets would entirely fill up the glass
and there was no room for the liquid, and
by that time, it was said, the inebriate
would be cured Whether anyone ever was
cured in that way, know not, but by long
experiment il is found that the only way is
to stop short off, and when man does that
he needs God to help him. And there have
been more cases than you can count when
God has so helped the man that he quit for
ever, and | could count score OF them here
to-day, some of them pillars in the house of
God.
One would suppose that men would take
warning from some of the ominous names
given to the intoxicants, and stand off from
the devastating influence You have no.
ticed, for instance, that some Of the restau-
a. is are 5al,sd ae onades"-typicai ..
the fact that it puts mans reputation in
the shade, and his morals in the shade and
his prosperity In the shade, and his wife and
children in the shade, and his immortal
destiny in the shade.
Now, find on some of the liquor signs in
all our cities the words "Old Crown-might-
lily suggestive of carcass, and the filthy
raven that Swoops upon it, "Old Crown
Men and women without numbers slain of
rum but unburied, and this evil is pecking
at their glazed eyes, and pecking at their
bloated cheeks and pecking at their de-
stroyed manhood and womanhood, thrust
ing beak and claw into the mortal remains
of what was once gloriously alive,
but now morally dead. "Old Crown
But, alasl how many take no warn
ing They make me think of
Caesar on his way to assassination fearing
nothing; though his statue in the hall
crashed into fragments at his feet, and a
scroll containing the names Of the conspira-
tors was thrust into his hands, yet walking
right on to meet the dagger that was to take
his life This infatuation of strong drink is
so mighty in many a man that though his
fortunes are crashing. and his health is
crashing, and his domestic interests are
crashing, and we hand him long scroll
containing the names of perils that await
him, he goes straight on to physical, and
mental, and moral assassination. In pro-
portion as any style of alcoholism is pleas
ant to your taste, and stimulating TO your
nerves and for time delightful to all your
physical and mental constitution, is the
peril awful Remember Jonathan and the
forbidden honey in the woods Of Beth-aven
Furthermore, the gamesters indulgence
must be put in the list of temptations delic-
ious but destructive. | have crossed the
ocean eight times and always one of the
best rooms has, from morning till late at
night, been given up to gambling practices.
| heard of many men who went on board
with enough money for European excursion
who landed without enough money 10 get
their baggage up to the hotel or railroad
station. 70 many there is complete fasci-
nation in games OF hazard or the rislsing of
money on possibilities. 1t seems as natural
for them to bet as to eat. Indeed the hunger
for food is often overpowcred with the
hunger for wagers, as in the case of Lord
Sandwich. a persistent gambler, who not
being willing TO leave the dice table long
enough for the taking of food, invented a
preparation of food that he could take with
out stopping the game; namely, slice of
beef between two slices of bread, which was
named after Lord Sandwich. 1t is absurd
for those of US who have never felt the
fascination of the wager TO speak slight
ingly of the temptation. IL has slain a
multitude Of intellectual and moral giants,
men and women stronger than you or |.
Down under it's power went glorious Oliver